System and method for name grabbing via optical character reading

ABSTRACT

A system and method for generating text data from graphical image information of a first data form and passing the generated text data to another data form is disclosed. The system comprises a computer-based platform configured to obtain search criteria data from a current data form of interest and search an operating system of the computer-based platform for at least one other data form having first data that match the search criteria data to identify any matching data forms. The computer-based platform is further configured to perform an image capture operation on at least one predefined area of any matching data forms to form at least one captured image. An optical character reading operation is performed on the at least one captured image to generate at least one instance of second data and the at least one instance of second data is passed to the current data form of interest.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to searching forinformation in a plurality of applications, windows, or data sets. Moreparticularly, certain embodiments of the present invention relate to asystem and method for searching for information in the form of graphicalimage information and converting the graphical image information to textdata to bridge to, activate, or open another application, window, ordata set.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Each year there is an increase in the amount of computer automation forthe home and office. Typically, such increases occur in discretesoftware applications that are specific to a desired goal or objective.For example, there are individual applications for billing, payroll,word processing, time keeping, inventory tracking, and personalorganization. Each of these applications can be implemented anddistributed by a different vendor and loaded onto a single computer.

User applications typically share compatibility and operability with anoperating system that controls the computer. Typical examples ofoperating systems are Windows 95™, Windows 98™, Windows 2000™, andWindows NT™ available from Microsoft Corp., Linux™ available from RedHat, OS/2 available from IBM Corp., and the Apple Macintosh Operatingsystem available from Apple Computer, Inc. Thus, each applicationinstalled onto the computer must be able to run on the operatingplatform supporting the computer.

Operating systems available today allow a user to have more than oneapplication running (loaded or open) simultaneously. This is also calledmulti-processing. Before opening (or launching) an application, it is inan “unloaded” state, stored in permanent or long term storage/memory.When an application is “launched”, it becomes the “active” application.If another application is launched, a loaded and active applicationremains loaded but becomes “inactive”. Thus, multiple applications maybe loaded and “running” at any one time. However, unless the computerhas multiple processors (CPUs), only one application is actually“active” at a time.

One problem many users face when using a plurality of applications,windows, or data sets is that of switching between the variousapplications, windows, or data sets that are running simultaneously. Forexample, suppose a user is obtaining data about a patient from apractice management application in a doctor's office and wants to lookat that patient's digitally stored x-ray images. The user must open orre-activate the x-ray image application, window, or data set; enter somesearch term that designates the patient; and wait for the application,window, or data set to return with the patient's x-ray images in theappropriate window. Thus, even though the user has the patient'sidentifying data in the practice management application that he/she isviewing, the user must open or activate the x-ray imaging application,and must then enter a query to locate and obtain the window containingthe desired data. These additional operations can be time-consuming ifthe user is processing multiple patients per day.

The burden of having to manually enter data when the required data isavailable to the user in another window, application, or data set iscompounded when certain applications, windows, or data sets requiremultiple pieces of data. For example, some applications, windows, ordata sets require both a name and a social security number in order todistinguish between patients having the same name. In this example, thedifferent social security numbers distinguish between the files of thesetwo patients and their respective related information. Thus, even if auser is viewing a particular patient's profile in a patient managementapplication and has the patient's social security number on screen, theuser will still be required to type in the social security number, inaddition to the patient's name, in the other desired application such asan x-ray imaging application. Some Windows™ programs allow a user to“cut-and-paste” information from one window to another. However, thismethod is time consuming when several fields of data need to bere-entered.

There is also a need to open a plurality of files across a plurality ofapplications, windows, or data sets in a network environment. In such anetwork environment, a first user could open one window in oneapplication where that one window contains data useful to a plurality ofother users on the network. It is desirable for the other users toaccess that data from the one window in the one application and use itto open other windows in other applications, instead of being forced toclick on a plurality of boxes and/or type in the needed key data to opena file.

In addition, in either a single PC operation or a network operation,there is a need for a user to integrate a new application, window, ordata set with existing applications, windows, or data sets. In thismanner, it would be desirable for a user to purchase a new applicationand integrate the data residing in files in an existing application,window, or data set to create new files in the new application, window,or data set.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,564, issued to Crucs on Mar. 23, 2004, isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No.6,711,564 describes a method and system for extracting data that isassociated with one application, window, or data set and bridging thatdata to another application, window, or data set. The particular dataform (application, window, or data set) is located using search criteriaderived from a first active data form (application, window, or dataset). If the particular data form is located in an unloaded (notrunning) application, window, or data set the requisite data form (e.g.,application, window, or data set) is launched and made active. Thenecessary data is provided to the application, window, or data set toretrieve the particular window or data set of the data form. If theparticular data form is located in a loaded application, window, or dataset, the necessary data from the first data form is bridged into theloaded application, window, or data set. The necessary data to bebridged pre-exists in the form of text data within the application andis known by the operating system.

The system and method of U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,564 allows data to beextracted from the title bar or text associated with a window in anotherapplication. On many operating systems, a window (whether a mainapplication window, title bar, or control) is defined by both itscontent and an operating system identifier (e.g., a class name). Usingthe window content and/or identifier, the system is able to searchthrough a list of windows currently existing in an operating system(including child windows) for windows matching the desired criteria.Once the desired window is located, the relevant data can be extractedand used in the new application.

One disadvantage of the system and method of U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,564 isthat, if a target window is a custom drawn window (e.g., a customgraphic window), the text data associated with that target window may bedifferent from the information actually displayed in the custom drawnwindow. That is, each window class can have its drawing capabilitiesoverridden by the underlying control class written by acompany/developer in order to permit custom drawing of the window. Withsuch styles, the window text data associated with the window in theoperating system may not necessarily reflect the information displayedin the actual target window. Therefore, the desired information does notexist as data that can be extracted by the system and method of U.S.Pat. No. 6,711,564.

It is desirable to be able to bridge information between applications,windows, or data sets, even though the information may only initiallyexist as an image such as a custom graphic drawing.

Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional, traditional, andproposed approaches will become apparent to one of skill in the art,through comparison of such systems and methods with the presentinvention as set forth in the remainder of the present application withreference to the drawings.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of the present invention provides acomputer-implemented method for automatically generating and bridgingdata into a current data form of interest in response to searching anoperating system. The method includes obtaining search criteria datafrom a current data form of interest and searching an operating systemfor at least one other data form having first data that match the searchcriteria data in order to identify any matching data forms. The methodfurther includes performing an image capture operation on at least onepredefined area of the matching data forms to form at least one capturedimage. The method also includes performing an optical character readingoperation on the at least one captured image to generate at least oneinstance of second data. The method further includes passing the atleast one instance of second data to the current data form of interest.

Another embodiment of the present invention comprises a system forautomatically generating and bridging data into a current data form ofinterest in response to searching an operating system of the system. Thesystem comprises a computer-based platform configured for obtainingsearch criteria data from a current data form of interest and searchingan operating system for other data forms having first data that matchthe search criteria data in order to identify any matching data forms.The computer-based platform is also configured for performing an imagecapture operation on at least one predefined area of the matching dataforms to form at least one captured image. The computer-based platformis further configured for performing an optical character readingoperation on the at least one captured image to generate at least oneinstance of second data. The computer-based platform is also configuredfor passing the at least one instance of second data to the current dataform of interest.

These and other advantages and novel features of the present invention,as well as details of an illustrated embodiment thereof, will be morefully understood from the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention, inaccordance with various aspects of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of twoparent windows, in accordance with various aspects of the presentinvention.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of acomputer-based platform, in accordance with various embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of thecomputer-based platform of FIG. 3 implementing the functionality of thecomputer-based platform of FIG. 3, in accordance with various aspects ofthe present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method executing thefunctionality of the computer-based platform of FIG. 3 on thecomputer-based platform of FIG. 4, in accordance with various aspects ofthe present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the exemplary embodiment of thetwo parent windows of FIG. 2 showing data being bridged, in accordancewith various aspects of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

For purposes of describing embodiments of the present invention, thefollowing definitions are to be used and, if necessary, supercede anycommonly understood definition of the term.

Data Form—a data form is any collection of data or information. Includedwithin a data form are computer programs or applications that areorganized forms of data that control a computer to perform certain tasksand functions. Examples of data forms are applications, windows, datasets, and data field windows.

Window—a window is a graphic feature that allows a user to viewinformation and provide information to a computer/application. A windowmay be a part of many applications. A Data Form may be presented as awindow, for example.

Text Data—text data may include alphabetic data, numeric data,alpha-numeric data, or any other symbol character data, but notgraphical image data.

FIG. 1 is an exemplary sample screen from a computer using the WindowsNT™ operating system, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The entire screen is designated by the reference number 100.Within screen 100 are shortcuts to specific applications 105. In thisexemplary screen 100, there are three individual shortcuts 105 to threedifferent applications. In this context, a shortcut is a linkrepresented by a stylized icon that appears on the desktop of theoperating system and allows the user to launch an application bydouble-clicking on that shortcut. The first shortcut 105 a is a standardshortcut with the Windows NT™ operating system called “My Computer” andallows a user to view data in the various media drives associated withthe computer. Shortcut 105 b is a shortcut to an application forentering, editing, viewing, and maintaining patient files. Shortcut 105c is a shortcut to an application for creating and managing patientx-rays.

The task bar (including Start Menu and System tray) 110 is part of theoperating system. Depending on the operating system version, the taskbar comprises a plurality of buttons and/or icons representing bothexecuting (loaded) and non-executing (unloaded) applications availableto the user. Some buttons expand to menus, for instance the Start Menu,when one clicks on them. Start button 110 a is a standard feature of theWindows NT™ operating system. Button 110 b relates to the patientmanagement application described above in conjunction with shortcut 105b. Button 110 c relates to the x-ray imaging application described abovein conjunction with shortcut 105 c. Button 110 d relates to anembodiment of the present invention described herein. Area 110 e is partof the System Tray (Systray) and comprises shortcut icons for aplurality of common system tools and applications, such as printerstatus when printing a document, and a clock. It should be noted that,in other embodiments of the present invention, the method of anembodiment of the present invention can be launched from an icon locatedin, for example, area 110 e.

Buttons 110 b-110 d allow the user to switch between the describedapplications, windows, or data sets, e.g., changing the active/inactivestatus of an application that is running (loaded) by clicking on theassociated button. In accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention, active means that the application, window, or data set hasbeen downloaded from permanent or long term storage, such as a harddrive or swap file, into the computer's RAM and is ready for use by theuser. When the user clicks on a particular button, the current activeapplication, window, or data set remains loaded into memory, but is sentto the background (made inactive). This means that the application,window, or data set remains in the computer's RAM, but the user isunable to interact with it until the application, window, or data set isreactivated. In some cases, the application will be swapped to temporaryspace on the hard drive (swap space) rather than remain in RAM, if RAMis limited. By clicking on these buttons, the user may toggle betweenvarious applications, windows, or data sets, making one active andcausing the others to be deactivated. This makes it easier for the userto switch between the various applications, windows, or data sets. Itshould be noted that embodiments of the present invention are limitedneither to the types of applications, windows, or data sets, nor to thenumber of applications, windows, or data sets shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 also demonstrates yet another implementation in which a user maylaunch an embodiment of the present invention. Window 120 is a “slidingwindow” that can be used to execute an embodiment of the presentinvention. To bring this window into view, the user slides the cursor,using a mouse or a touchscreen, over to the top right side of window100. Note that the activating location “top right” is not fixed, and itwould be apparent to one skilled in the art how to modify the activatinglocation on the screen to another area of the display. When the cursor“exits” the viewing area to the top right, window 120 slides into view.If the user moves the cursor back into the viewing area of window 100but outside of window 120, the window 120 slides back out of view. Whenslid into view, the user may then launch an embodiment of the presentinvention by clicking on the “Launch” button 120 a.

If the user wishes to tack the sliding window 120 into a fixed locationon the screen, he/she may do so by clicking on button 120 b (stylized asa push-pin). Button 120 b operates so as to tack window 120 intoposition regardless of the mouse location. If the user does not wish toexecute the program which implements an embodiment of the presentinvention, he/she may click on the “Close” button 120 c. The “Tools”executable menu 120 d allows the user to modify and customize theapplication and window descriptions.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment of twoparent windows 210 and 250 of an operating system on a computer-basedplatform, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention.Parent window 210 is a window for a patient management application 201,and parent window 250 is a window for an x-ray imaging application 202.Parent window 210 includes child windows 211-217. Parent window 250includes child windows 251-259. Child windows 211-215 includepre-existing text information for a patient (“John Q. Public”) which isassociated with the corresponding windows by the operating system 480(see FIG. 4).

Embodiments of the invention described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,564 areable to extract the associated text information in windows 211-215 forinputting into windows in another application (e.g., windows 251-253 inthe x-ray imaging application 202). Child windows 216 and 217, however,include custom graphic images (e.g., a bar code image and a scannedimage of an insurance card). The bar code image in window 216 mayrepresent a unique identifier for the patient in addition to thepatient's social security number. The bar code image may be used toprint bar code labels to be adhered to medications of the patient, forexample. The insurance card image in window 217 is simply an image ofthe patient's insurance card which was scanned into the patientmanagement application 201. The information in the insurance card imageis typically used for billing of the patient's insurance company.

In the operating system 480 (see FIG. 4), there may be text associatedwith the windows 216 and 217. However, this text is not displayed and isdifferent from the information conveyed by the images displayed in thewindows 216 and 217. As a result, embodiments of the invention describedin U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,564 cannot extract information contained in theimages displayed in windows 216 and 217. However, embodiments of thepresent invention can, as will be described herein.

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of acomputer-based platform 300, in accordance with various aspects of thepresent invention. The computer-based platform 300 implements variousfunctions, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.The various functions includes search and match functionality 310, imagecapture functionality 320, optical character reading functionality 330,data form data bridging functionality 340, and display functionality350. Other functionalities are possible as well but are not shown inFIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of thecomputer-based platform 300 of FIG. 3 implementing the functionality ofthe computer-based platform 300 of FIG. 3, in accordance with variousaspects of the present invention. The computer-based platform 300comprises a processor 410, a general memory 420, a user interface 430,an image memory 440, a display controller 450, and a display 460. Thecomputer-based platform 300 includes an operating system 480 andfunctional software modules 470. The processor 410 interfaces to thememory 420, user interface 430, and image memory 440. The displaycontroller 450 interfaces to the image memory 440 and the display 460.The operating system 480 is loaded into memory 420 and is executed byprocessor 410. The functional software modules 470 are loaded intomemory 420 and are executed by the processor 410. The functionalsoftware modules 470 perform the functionalities 310-350 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of an embodiment of a method 500 executing thefunctionality of the computer-based platform 300 of FIG. 3 on thecomputer-based platform 300 of FIG. 4, in accordance with variousaspects of the present invention. In step 510, search criteria data isobtained from a current data form of interest. In step 520, a searchoperation is performed on an operating system for at least one otherdata form having first data that match the search criteria data toidentify any matching data forms. In step 530, an image captureoperation is performed on at least one predefined area of the matchingdata forms to form at least one captured image. In step 540, an opticalcharacter reading operation is performed on the at least one capturedimage to generate at least one instance of second data. In step 550, theat least one instance of second data is passed to the current data formof interest.

Embodiments of the present invention include definition files for eachdata form. These definition files define the search criteria andassociated information to be obtained from other data forms. Forexample, the definitions for the current data form of interest (e.g.,current application window) define all of the possible targetinformation that the user may want to obtain. These definition files arepredefined as part of the embodiment of the present invention. However,certain embodiments of the present invention may allow a user to modifythe definition files.

As an example, referring again to FIG. 2, a user of the computer-basedplatform 300 may enter the x-ray imaging application 202, using thecomputer-based platform 300 and open a file resulting in displaying thewindow 250. The file is for the patient “John Q. Public” and waspreviously created and saved upon taking two x-ray images of the patient“John Q. Public” to digitally store the two images as “x-ray image #1”254 and “x-ray image #2” 255. The user now needs to complete the file byentering data into the windows 251-253 and 256-259. However, the user isfairly sure that the desired information already exists in another filein the patient management application 201.

The user then clicks on the data grabber icon 110 d (see FIG. 1) tolaunch the functionality of an embodiment of the present invention asdescribed for FIG. 3. As a result, the method 500 of FIG. 5 is executedon the computer-based platform 300. The current data form of interest isthe window 250. The method 500 obtains the search criteria data from thewindow 250. The search criteria data may include name (text) data,window class data, and/or control identifier (ID) data of the currentdata form of interest as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,564 which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Every window data formhas at least a window class but may also have a name string and an ID.

The operating system 480 of the computer-based platform 300 is searchedfor any matching data forms (applications, windows, data sets) and findsa matching data form (e.g., parent window 210) in the patient managementapplication 201. The text data associated with the child windows 211,213, and 214 is bridged over to or passed to (e.g., input into) thecorresponding child windows 251-253 of the parent window 250 (i.e., thecurrent data form of interest) of the x-ray imaging application 202 asdescribed generally in U.S. Pat. No. 6,711,564 and as shown specificallyin FIG. 6. As defined herein, text data may include alphabetic data,numeric data, alpha-numeric data, or any other symbol character data,but not graphical image data. The child windows 256-259 also need to befilled with the appropriately corresponding data. However, theinformation needed for the windows 256-259 does not exist as text datathat is associated with the windows 216 and 217 by the operating system480. Instead, the information needed is represented as images orgraphics within the windows 216 and 217.

Therefore, the functionality of an embodiment of the present inventionperforms an image capture operation (e.g., a print screen operation) onthe appropriate areas of the window 216 and the window 217 to captureimages of the needed information. The appropriate areas are also definedin the definition files and the operating system 480 defines thelocation of the graphics on the screen. Then, the embodiment of thepresent invention performs an optical character reading operation on thecaptured images to generate corresponding instances of text data.Optical character reading is well-known in the art. Again, as definedherein, text data may include alphabetic data, numeric data,alpha-numeric data, or any other symbol character data. The generatedtext data is then bridged over to or passed to (e.g., input into) theappropriate corresponding child windows 256-259 of the x-ray imagingapplication 202 as shown in FIG. 6.

For example, the graphic number information “1234567890” in the bar codeimage in window 216 is converted to numeric text data by the opticalcharacter reading functionality 330 and input into the window 256. Thegraphic alphabetic information “XYZ Insurance Co.” in the window 217 isconverted to alphabetic text data by the optical character readingfunctionality 330 and input into the window 257. The graphic numericinformation “123456” in the window 217 is converted to numeric text databy the optical character reading functionality 330 and input into thewindow 258. The graphic alphabetic information “AAMBTZNA” in the window217 is converted to alphabetic text data by the optical characterreading functionality 330 and input into the window 259.

Certain embodiments of the present invention include both the ability tobridge over pre-existing text data already associated with a window andthe ability to first generate text data from a pre-existing image orgraphic and then bridge over the generated text data, which is initiatedby the user in a single act. However, certain other embodiments mayimplement the two capabilities as separate functions that are initiatedseparately by the user.

In general, the term “bridging” as used herein refers to the general actof passing data from one data form to another data form (e.g., from oneapplication to another application), not necessarily populating datafield windows with the passed data to display the passed data asdescribed in the example of FIG. 6. However, populating may be a part ofthe bridging/passing process in certain instances, for example, asdescribed in the example of FIG. 6. For example, data may be passed orbridged into one application from another application via standardnon-populating interface methods such as shared memory, invoking a DDEcall, command line, and others. Otherwise, data may be passed or bridgedfrom a first data form to a second data form by directly populating thesecond data form (e.g., data field windows).

In summary, embodiments of the present invention provide a system andmethod for generating text data from graphical image information of afirst data form and passing (e.g., populating) the generated text datainto another data form. Optical character reading techniques are used togenerate the text data from the graphical image data.

While the invention has been described with reference to certainembodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention. In addition, manymodifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material tothe teachings of the invention without departing from its scope.Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to theparticular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will includeall embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically generating andbridging data to a current data form of interest in response tosearching an operating system, said method comprising: a computer-basedplatform automatically obtaining search criteria data from a currentdata form of interest; said computer-based platform automaticallysearching an operating system for at least one other data form havingfirst data that match said search criteria data to identify any matchingdata forms; said computer-based platform automatically performing animage capture operation on at least one predefined area of said anymatching data forms to form at least one captured image, wherein said atleast one predefined area is a subset of an entire area of said anymatching data forms that is predefined in at least one of a definitionfile stored in memory on said computer-based platform and an operatingsystem of said computer-based platform before performing said methodstep of obtaining search criteria; said computer-based platformautomatically performing an optical character reading operation on saidat least one captured image to generate at least one instance of seconddata, wherein associated information to be obtained from and a locationof said at least one instance of said second data within said predefinedarea are also predefined in said at least one of a definition file andan operating system; and said computer-based platform automaticallypassing said at least one instance of second data to said current dataform of interest, wherein said current data form of interest is capableof being presented in a window by said operating system.
 2. The methodof claim 1 wherein said search criteria data comprises a string ofcharacters.
 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said search criteria datacomprises at least one of name data, window class data, and controlidentifier data.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said second datacomprises alphabetic text data.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein saidsecond data comprises numeric text data.
 6. The method of claim 1wherein said second data comprises alpha-numeric text data.
 7. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said current data form of interest comprises awindow.
 8. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one other dataform comprises a window.
 9. The method of claim 1 further comprisingsaid computer-based platform automatically activating said at least oneother data form.
 10. The method of claim 1 further comprising saidcomputer-based platform automatically launching and activating said atleast one other data form.
 11. The method of claim 1 further comprisingsaid computer-based platform automatically displaying an image of saidat least one other data form.
 12. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising said computer-based platform automatically displaying amessage when there is not at least one other data form having first datathat match said search criteria data.
 13. The method of claim 1 whereinsaid step of performing an image capture operation comprises performinga print screen operation.
 14. The method of claim 1 wherein said passingsaid at least one instance of second data to said current data form ofinterest includes populating said current data form of interest withsaid second data for display.
 15. A system for automatically generatingand bridging data to a current data form of interest in response tosearching an operating system of said system, said system comprising acomputer-based platform, having at least one hardware-based processorcapable of running at least one functional software module, configuredfor: automatically obtaining search criteria data from a current dataform of interest; automatically searching an operating system for otherdata forms having first data that match said search criteria data toidentify any matching data forms; automatically performing an imagecapture operation on at least one predefined area of said any matchingdata forms to form at least one captured image, wherein said at leastone predefined area is a subset of an entire area of said any matchingdata forms that is predefined in at least one of a definition filestored in memory on said computer-based platform and an operating systemof said computer-based platform before obtaining said search criteria;automatically performing an optical character reading operation on saidat least one captured image to generate at least one instance of seconddata, wherein associated information to be obtained from and a locationof said at least one instance of said second data within said predefinedarea are also predefined in said at least one of a definition file andan operating system; and automatically passing said at least oneinstance of second data to said current data form of interest, whereinsaid current data form of interest is capable of being presented in awindow by said operating system.
 16. The system of claim 15 wherein saidsearch criteria data comprises a string of characters.
 17. The system ofclaim 15 wherein said search criteria data comprises at least one ofname data, window class data, and control identifier data.
 18. Thesystem of claim 15 wherein said second data comprises alphabetic textdata.
 19. The system of claim 15 wherein said second data comprisesnumeric text data.
 20. The system of claim 15 wherein said second datacomprises alpha-numeric text data.
 21. The system of claim 15 whereinsaid current data form of interest comprises a window.
 22. The system ofclaim 15 wherein said at least one other data form comprises a window.23. The system of claim 15 wherein said computer-based platform isfurther configured for activating said at least one other data form. 24.The system of claim 15 wherein said computer-based platform is furtherconfigured for launching and activating said at least one other dataform.
 25. The system of claim 15 wherein said computer-based platform isfurther configured for displaying an image of said at least one otherdata form.
 26. The system of claim 15 wherein said computer-basedplatform is further configured for displaying a message when there isnot at least one other data form having first data that match saidsearch criteria data.
 27. The system of claim 15 wherein said performingan image capture operation comprises performing a print screenoperation.
 28. The system of claim 15 wherein said passing said at leastone instance of second data to said current data form of interestincludes populating said current data form of interest with said seconddata for display.